Yumiko Higuchi 

Ph. D. in Science,  Associate Professor 

Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University

Hirano 2-509-3, Otsu, Shiga 520-2113  JAPAN

higuchi.yumiko.6j [at] kyoto-u.ac.jp 

Research Interests

I am interested in the ecology and evolution of large-scaled morphology of plants, with particular focus on leaf shape. 

Currently, I am studying  the effect of leaf shape as a constructed material for leaf-rolling weevils at Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University.

Keywords

plant ecology, leaf shape, plant-animal interaction, insect behavior, leaf-rolling weevils, Isodon plants, Apoderus praecellens

Education

2016.4 - 2020.3    Ph. D. in Science, Kyoto University  (Prof. Atsushi Kawakita, Prof. Shoko Sakai）

2014.4 - 2016.3    Master in Agriculture, Kyoto University (Weed Science, Dr. Yoshiko Shimono, Prof. Tohru Tominaga)

2010.4 - 2014.3    Bachelor in Agriculture, Kyoto University (Weed Science, Dr. Yoshiko Shimono, Prof. Tohru Tominaga)

Interaction between leaf shape and leaf-processing insects

Shape of plant leaves are diverse, but how do they work in nature? Insect herbivory sometimes causes great damage on plants. Can leaf shape prevent insect herbivory?

Several herbivorous insects do not only eat leaves, but also process leaves for ameliorating harsh environments around them. The shape of the leaves may physically hinder the leaf processing  by those insects as a constructed material. I am now investigating how leaf shape affect one of the leaf-processing insect groups, leaf-rolling weevils. Female leaf-rolling weevils (Attelabidae, Coleoptera) roll up a whole leaf blade when laying an egg to make a cylindrical leaf roll for providing foods and a shelter for their offspring. I especially focus on the weevil species Apoderus praecellens and one of their host plants Isodon umbrosus var. hakusanensis (Lamiaceae) that has extraordinary lobed leaves. I found that the lobed leaf shape of this plant species inhibited the construction of leaf rolls by female weevils. Female leaf-rolling weevils usually perform inspectional walking on a leaf surface to determine the suitability of the leaf for a leaf roll and the cutting point of the leaf before processing them. Observation indicated that females could not construct leaf rolls mainly because they could not walk successfully on lobed leaves (Higuchi & Kawakita, 2019).

The habit of processing leaves is known in several insect taxa. For insects that process leaves, leaf shape may be an overlooked but important factor that affects the ease of processing.